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Origin and history

The former Grau d'Aigues-Mortes lighthouse, now located at Grau-du-Roi (Gard), was built in 1828-1829 as part of the first national coastal lighting programme launched by Augustin Fresnel in 1825. Designed by engineer Paul Courant, it consists of a cylindrical tower on a square base, typical of the Fresnel-Reynaud lighthouses. Its classical architecture, with screw staircase and copper dome lantern, reflects 19th century technical standards.

Initially the port of Aigues-Mortes (before the creation of the commune of Grau-du-Roi in 1879), it was made obsolete by the alluvialisation of the channel, requiring constant dredging. As early as 1869, it was replaced by the lighthouse of L'Espiguette, more adapted to the new port infrastructure. The tower, 3.60 m high above its base, includes a circular platform with a metal guard.

Ranked a historic monument on October 9, 2012, the lighthouse fully protects its tower as well as the facades and roofs of the base. A communal property, it illustrates the evolution of maritime techniques and the adaptation of coastal infrastructures in the Mediterranean. Its state of conservation and its location in Petite Camargue make it an emblematic heritage of the coast of Gardois.

The plans, attributed to engineer Pierre Courant (mentioned as Paul Courant in some sources), are part of a series of standardized constructions to secure navigation. The western facade, partially masked by posterior extensions, retains its original triangular ordinance. The lantern, accessible by the watchroom, symbolizes the optical innovation of the era.

The lighthouse also bears witness to the local geomorphological challenges: the accumulation of alluviums, typical of the Mediterranean deltas, has altered the coastal line and imposed the displacement of port facilities. Its early decommissioning (1869) made it a rare example of a lighthouse of the first Fresnel program still standing, before the era of the great metal lighthouses or reinforced masonry.

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